1. Field of Invention
The present application relates generally to devices for receiving and holding containers, and more particularly to racks and rack modules.
2. Description of Related Art
Various containers are used in laboratory or other experimental work, including beakers, flasks, vials, bottles, and test tubes. Many containers are arranged in arrays, particularly when containers are smaller than a few milliliters in size.
FIG. 1 shows a diagrammatic representation of several types of containers. FIG. 1 includes beaker 100, vial 110 (which in this example, has a conical bottom), and test tube 120. Containers are often oriented for use such that the mouth or opening of the container faces in a direction (usually up) that is appropriate for receiving a sample. Some containers may be sealed or capped or plugged.
Some containers are less than one milliliter, 100 microliters, or even 1 nanoliter in volume. In some cases, arrays of hundreds or even thousands of containers may be arranged in a plate or other conveyance structure. FIG. 1 also shows arrays of containers. Some arrays such as array 130 may include a plurality of containers connected near their openings. Other arrays, such as array 140, may include a plurality of containers that are machined or molded from a solid block. Arrays may also be used to hold discrete containers. Arrays are often characterized by one or more spacings 150 between adjacent containers.
The receipt, arrangement, and support of various containers may involve the use of a rack. Typically, a rack orients a container and/or an array of containers in a way that facilitates their use. Some racks arrange discrete containers in an array. Some racks hold a preformed array of containers, such as a rack that holds a standardized plate (e.g., a microplate, microtiter plate, polymerase chain reactions (PCR) plate and the like). Many racks orient their respective containers such that an opening of the container faces up, ready to receive or provide a fluid. Other racks orient containers in generally horizontal positions (e.g., a wine rack) or angled orientations (e.g., a rack for riddling champagne). Some racks hold containers at a height determined by the requirements of people using the containers or various equipment interacting with the containers. Some racks commonly orient a plurality of containers (e.g., with their openings at the same height).
Many laboratories use a variety of different containers. Most racks are sized to hold a specific type, shape, or size of container (e.g., a test tube rack), and so using different containers often requires using different racks.
Laboratory processes may be improved by standardization. As such, a rack system that may be adapted to a variety of types and numbers of containers may improve efficiency.